Star Wars: Fallen Knight
by DaceSaecen
Summary: 300 years after Revan, the last of the Jedi is on the run. Pursued by both the Sith and the Republic, this Jedi faces a choice - to take up the mantle of the Jedi, or to sacrifice himself to the Sith
1. Chapter 1

I make no claim to own Star Wars and/or Firefly or its characters. I just wish I did

3500 years before the rise and fall of the Chosen One, the Galactic Republic teeters on the brink of collapse. Over 300 years before, the Sith double agent, Darth Revan, discovered the mighty and powerful factory, the Star Forge. Returning to his true nature, Revan took the fleet to his Master, the 1000 year old Sith Emperor and became the Emperor's Shadowhand for the True Sith Empire. For 300 years, he and his descendants built up the Sith's armies with the Star Forge, creating an unstoppable fleet. Then, his descendants planned their attack…

Since Revan and Malak's war of conquest, the Republic has attempted to rebuild. But dark forces are at work. 10 years ago, the Jedi Knights, the protectors of peace and justice in the galaxy, were ambushed during their Conclave by a group of mercenaries with mysterious movtives and hunted down to extinction. Without their sworn protectors, it is only a matter of time before the Republic falls…

However, hope remains. The last of the Jedi has been found. But, this Jedi only wishes to be left alone. Unwilling to commit himself to a losing effort, the former Knight roams the galaxy just trying to make his way. But the Sith are on to him. Pursued by both factions across the galaxy, this former Jedi will face a choice – join the Republic…or sacrifice himself to the Sith…

"This is too kriffin' easy," he thought to himself as he made his way along the wreckage in the cumbersome zero-G suit. "Don't worry, it's been derelict for years mate. The Sith ain't gonna bother themselves with an old freighter that's been adrift since that cease fire a while back. I would do the job, but I ain't got my own ship friend. You do," he had said. And then he smiled that smug smile. "Bajer must've sold us out again," Dace Saecen thought to himself. He knew it in his soul, as his dark brown eyes looked out at the stars. Some people thought that he had haunting eyes, eyes that had seen far more sorrow than anyone should have. With his longer than normal brown hair and scraggly goatee, he might have had more companions in his life, if only he didn't scare women off by keeping them all at arm's length. At least his crew was loyal, as long as the money kept coming in. If it kept coming in. He was going to have to have Vima dance again on Nar Shaddaa, if she was willing. He had to keep the ship flying somehow. At least she was always willing.

"Hey, Capt'n, think I found the door," Vima Boton calls out from ahead, breaking into Dace's thoughts.

"'Bout damn time," Jaylen Ordo complains from the rear. "We've only been searchin' this wreck for five hours."

"Easy, darlin'. Don't be scared," Vima taunts, mischief in her pink-skinned face and bright blue eyes as she begins working on some kind of equipment.

"I ain't scared of nuthin', this abandoned wreck is just givin' me some concerns, is all," Jaylen explains in his simple way, yellow eyes shining out from behind his faceplate in sunken gray eyesockets.

"Aww, Jay-Jay is scared," Vima sarcastically taunts.

Before Jaylen can respond, Dace cuts him off, "Quiet you two. Jaylen, give me the sticky."

"Here boss."

Dace takes the gun-like device from the former Mandalorian, and begins lining the outside of the door's control panel with the gel-like substance. Once finished, Dace cuts the wire inside the gel, and holds out his hand. Vima places the timer that she had been working on in his hand, and he attaches it to the exposed end of the wire, and pushes a button on the control. He pushes himself back and watches as the wire begins to glow and burns through the metal of the control panel. In a jet of escaping air, the panel shoots off, narrowly missing Dace's head, who merely notes, "Pressure. Must mean it's still sealed."

"Good sign," Vima agrees, and Jaylen muscles the door open. Upon seeing three black boxes the size of small coffins, Dace smiles and comments, "Shiny."

Back in the cockpit of the Defiance-class freighter Serenity, Micah Ghent is sitting there, amusing herself with small instrument from her home planet of Glee Anselm. While she is strumming the strings, she gets a transmission from Dace. "Hey Mic, we still all clear?"

She jumps, head tails flying around her as she whips her head around, black eyes wide open, before she realizes that she's still alone and it's just the comm unit. Her bright green skin darkens slightly from her embarrassment at being scared by the comm. "Shiny, Cap'n," Micah replies.

"Glad to hear. You'd better holler the second you see anything, alright?"

"Aye Cap'n," Micah replies again, and continues on with her instrument, the typical Nautolan smile flashing across her striking face. She begins playing again and humming along before she is interrupted by a beeping on the sensor console, and alarmed, she looks over there. The look on her face turns from simple curiosity to shock and fear. "Oh, Sithspawn," she curses and gets on the comm, "Cap'n, we're humped! Republic cruiser inbound!"

"Sithspit," Jaylen curses.

"Mickey," Dace says, "We been buzzed yet?"

"No, not yet," Micah responds. "Lookin' like they might pass us bye."

"Don't give 'em a reason to stop. Go to blackout. We're on our way," Dace orders.

"Aye, Capt'n," Micah responds. Immediately, she shuts down all the engines, including the light. She's bathed in darkness and comments, "Great, now I can't see a frelling thing!"

The approaching hammer-headed Republic cruiser approaches, imposing a feeling of malice in everything that sees it. "Alright, what is it this time," the Republic Captain says, not attempting to hide her annoyance at being awoken at this ungodly hour as she strides onto the bridge.

"It's an old derelict Captain. Providence-class by the looks of it. I don't know for sure, it's in pretty bad shape. It looks…"

"Why do I care about this, Lieutenant," the Captain interrupts. "I…I thought that it was standard procedure to…," the frightened Human stammers, eyes wide with fright.

"And I thought it was standard procedure for members of the Republic Navy to be competent in some way," replies the Captain, interrupting her subordinate with typical Human hatefulness. "I'll be in my quarters for the rest of the night. Try not to wake me the next time you come across a stray atom, ok?"

The Captain turns to stride off the bridge, but the sensor technician nervously calls out, "Sir?"

"What," the Captain angrily demands.

"Wha...umm, sir, we are detecting a residual heat trace on that derelict."

"How?"

"I don't know, sir."

"Have you tried a full scan yet?" After being answered with a blank, frightened stare, the Captain vehemently demands, "Then do one right now before I execute you on the spot and find someone competent who can!"

"Y-Yes sir," the frightened Lieutenant replies, and turns to the computer console to begin the full scan.

Moving as quickly as they can while pulling a case each of the cargo, the three smugglers anxiously watch the Republic cruiser fly by the derelict. "Mic, have they seen us yet," Dace asks, his voice filled with concern.

"Naw, Cap'n," Micah replies softly, as if the cruiser could hear her through the vacuum of space if she spoke above a whisper. "Looks to me like they's be passin' us by."

Back on the Republic cruiser, the Lieutenant reports, "There is definitely a heat trace of some kind out there, Captain. Looks like a small freighter, maybe. Defiance-class, by the looks of it. Should I send in some fighters for a flyby?"

"Yeah, do it. Buzzards picking the scraps off the dead. They deserve to be dead themselves. Let's make sure all of us can carry forward that message."

"Aye, Captain," the lackey responds, and begins turns to relay the orders.

Back in the cockpit of Serenity, Micah is still nervously watching the screens when the alarm sounds. "Oh mai trella farr," she says, expressing the Nautolan curse, "Dace, we're humped, big time. They be scannin' us!"

"Get us up and ready for hard burn, Micah. We're almost home," Dace replies.

"Cry baby cry," Micah asks.

"Make your mother sigh," Dace responds, completing the code.

"Gotcha," Micah responds, pushing a few buttons. Outside the ship, a small cylinder floats away, blinking a white light on one end.

Back on the Republic cruiser, the triangular Aurek-class fighters begin leaving the hanger. "Sir," an Ensign calls out, "I'm receiving a distress call, about thirteen light years out. Sounds like a…personnel transport? Or maybe a troop transport, being attacked by a pirate frigate."

"Are you sure," the Captain asks. "We're a long way from the Outer Rim, I don't think a pirate frigate would come this far into Republic space, they wouldn't be that foolish."

"Seems to be legit," the Ensign replies. "All the codes are correct and up to date."

Considering for a moment, the Captain finally makes up her mind and orders, "All right, recall the fighters. Head for the distress call. Put out a flag on a Defiance-class transport with stolen cargo." Turning away, the Captain begins walking off the bridge and comments, "Someone else can step on these mynocks."

The bridge crew works to carry out the Captain's orders while the Lieutenant call into the comm, "Fighter squad, return to ship, we've got a real mission to complete."

Back on Serenity, Dace, Vima, and Jaylen get aboard with the cargo, and Dace calls out, "Mickey, we're aboard! Go!"

"Already gone, Cap'n," Micah calls out, and punches it. Serenity rockets across the Republic cruiser's path and takes off into hyperspace with a flash as the Republic fighters re-enter the hanger and the cruiser takes off into hyperspace as well in a different direction. "We're clear, Cap'n. They went after the crybaby."

"Woo hoo," Jaylen yells out as he's got the enviro suit halfway off, revealing the full extent of Taung features on his head and arms. "'Bout damn time somethin' went our way. Now how's about we hurry lickety split to Bajer and make us some real shiny coin for our troubles out here!"

"Yeah, because we were planning on just sitting here on some stolen cargo," Vima sarcastically replies as Micah joins the others in the cargo bay as they take off their environment suits, wheeling in on her wheelchair.

Jaylen shoots Vima a dirty look before Dace steps in and replies, "Stow it, you two." He kneels down before one of the containers, and opens it, revealing row after row of gold bars. Everyone smiles in response to the goods, with Vima saying, "Well, hello pretties!"

"We gonna make some bank with that, huh boss," Micah joyfully asks.

"Yeah, bank that some of us should be getting a higher percentage than others around here," Jaylen cynically answers.

"And why is that, Jay-Jay," Micah asks.

"'Cause some of us are out there risking getting' caught while others are sittin' pretty inside," Jaylen replies as Dace picks up one of the gold bars and begins turning it over.

"Yeah, 'cause they wouldn't arrest me if ya got caught. I'm just the pilot, eh? Not breakin' any laws here, and no one would dare arrest a cripple. Just think of…"

"Shut it," Dace bites, interrupting Micah's rebuttal after seeing an imprint on the other side of the gold bar. An imprint of the symbol of the Galactic Republic.

"Problem, Capt'n," Vima asks, her long, bright blue hair falling around her face as she leans over.

"No," Dace evasively answers. "I just want to finish the job as soon as possible."

"You don't think that cruiser ID'd us, do you," Jaylen asks, worry creeping into his voice.

"Not at all, this cash is just burning a hole in my hull, and I want it outta here fast. Mic, set a course for Persephone, fast as we can."

"We'll be there in just under ten hours," Micah replies.

"Can you do better than that," Dace asks.

"Are you sure that we weren't ID'd, Capt'n," Vima asks, concerned that Dace isn't telling the truth.

"No," Dace answers evasively again. "I just want to get paid. Micah, can we shorten that timetable a bit?"

"I don't think so, we're down to reserves as it is. We try to burn hot, we'll run outta fuel fast."

"Ok, just get us there as soon as you can."

"Aye aye, Cap'n," Micah replies, and rolls out of the cargo bay towards the cockpit.

"Micah, also, get on the holonet, tell Bajer we got the goods," Dace orders.

"Yes, Cap'n," she replies, continues to the cockpit.

Dace goes over to where Vima and Jaylen are pushing the goods to the hidden smuggling compartments. "So, we're goin' to Persephone, Capt'n," Vima joyfully asks, fixing her jumpsuit to show off as much of her pink skin as she can, but still keep it decent.

"Yup, Bajer wants these goods, and I wanna offload them," Dace replies, going over to the hidden compartment and opens it up. "Might even look into picking up some passengers, get some extra cash."

"Really," Vima excitedly says. "I love pickin' up passengers, they's always got stories and such…"

"Capt'n," Jaylen interrupts as he helps Dace carry one of the cases into the compartment. "Is there any way to make Vima any less cheerful?"

"I don't think so," Dace replies as they pick up the last case. "Not even a full legion of Sith Lords using the full might of the Dark Side of the Force could dampen her spirits. But I would like use some duct tape on her, close that over-excessive yapper of hers and maybe throw her in the hold for a month."

Vima bends over and kisses Dace on the cheek, and sarcastically tells him, "I love my Captain." He smiles at her as she sashays off, going back to her engine room to coax a little more speed out of them.

"We could just have her dance on Nar Shaddaa again if we need the coin," Jaylen offers. Dace shoots him a look, and Jaylen replies to himself as Dace leaves the cargo bay, "She could just dance for me then."


	2. Chapter 2

A few hours later, Dace is walking up on to the bridge, adjusting his black jacket. He comes up behind Micah, where she is watching the swirling blue and white tunnel of hyperspace with an absent-minded smile on her face. "We's comin' up on Persephone, Cap'n," Micah reports. She asks, voice full of hope, "Think we might be able to stay awhile this time?"

"Doubt it," Dace cynically responds. "Don't feel too comfortable staying in one place for too long. Too many opportunities to get into trouble. Especially for Jaylen."

"True dat, boss," Micah responds with a smile.

"Just finish this job, find a new, keep flying. You know how it is," Dace says.

Micah continues smiling, but it's the smile of someone trying to hide her disappointment. "Think Bajer's got another job for us?"

"I hope not. I'm tired of working for him. Maybe someone has a better job, Manty and Fingo perhaps. They got more money," Dace replies. "Maybe even Prilence."

"Didn't she shoot you once," Micah asks.

"Yeah, she did a bit, but we're past that by now," Dace responds. "Maybe."

Micah smirks again and rolls her eyes as she mocks, "Whatever you say, boss. Hope you got some better armor." She turns back to the flight console and says, "Droppin' out of hyperspace." She pulls down on a lever, where a look of shock and dread flashes across both of their faces as they look out the front window. Greeting them is a massive Republic cruiser, right in their path. "Well, shit," Dace calmly says despite the situation.

"Easy, boss," Micah tries to calmly say. "Maybe they's just sittin' here waitin' fo' another ship."

Dace shoots her a disbelieving look just before a crackle of static comes from the comm. "Defiance transport _Serenity_, this is the Republic cruiser _Allegiance_. Please stand down, cut your engines, and prepare to be boarded. Let's make this as easy as possible. Don't make us shoot you down. Awaiting your reply." "SHIT," Dace exclaims.

Behind them, Jaylen comes onto the bridge with a confused look on his gray face. "What's all the ruckus about…what the frell is that? Is that the gorram Navy? We ain't getting' caught again, are we?"

"Looks like," Micah quips.

"Turn us around, get us outta here," Dace tells Micah.

"Can't Cap'n, they gots us in a tractor beam," she replies with a helpless look on her face.

"Do we dump the cargo," Jaylen nervously asks.

"Right in front of them," Micah incredulously replies.

"Well…" Jaylen responds, trying to come up with a solution but not being able to find one as Dace looks down in thought.

Coming to a decision, he looks back up and tells them, "No, we can't run, and it's no use fighting. They won't find the goods. Let's just be cool, all our fines are paid up, they've got no reason to stop us," Dace orders, showing a grim determination not to let this get him down. "Mic, take us into their hanger bay, if that's where they want us to go. Jaylen, let's go greet our guests. Mic, join us when we're parked." Dace goes to the intercom and says, "Vima, meet us in the cargo bay. We've got some Navy guests."

Meanwhile, Micah gets on the com as well and tells the _Allegiance_, "No prob, _Allegiance_. Tell me where to go, and I'll take us there."

Leaving the bridge, Jaylen asks Dace, "Gorramit Dace, why are we just givin' in? You know they're gonna find the goods once they get done searching _Serenity_. We gotta run!"

Dace angrily stops and spins around, looking Jaylen in the eye. "And what good is that going to do, huh Jaylen? We run, we give them a reason to chase us. They catch us, and then they really take their time searching _Serenity_. Then they will find the goods. We play it cool, and we just might get off easy."

"Yeah, but if Bajer's sold us out…"

"If Bajer's sold us out, which I find very unlikely, then maybe we can cut a deal for a better sentence. We know things about him that he doesn't particularly want to be known. It would be stupid for him to sell us out. Hell, they probably just want information about him, I know he's been cutting it too closely lately anyways." Dace turns back around and continues walking to the cargo bay docking hatch. "We're better off cooperating right now. Deal with what's in front of us, it's all we can do."

"And what happens when the thing creepin' up on us from behind stabs us in the back," Jaylen cynically asks.

Dace pauses at door and stares ahead, not looking at Jaylen when he quietly replies, "Then we won't have to worry about dealing anymore."

Vima walks up beside them and reports, "Docking port's sealed up tight, Capt'n. You ready for this?"

"Not really," Dace replies without looking at her.

"You want me to dance for them," she says as she zips her flight suit down to her naval with a playful grin on her face, trying to make Dace smile.

"I do," Jaylen responds, hopefully. Before anyone can reply, the docking port door opens, admitting a squad of fully armed Republic soldiers followed by a Commander in a snazzy Naval uniform with a weathered face, short blond hair, and icy-blue eyes. The soldiers fan out around the three smugglers, pointing their rifles at them as Jaylen and Vima look nervously around.

Dace just stares straight at the Commander with a perfect poker expression and his arms crossed before putting on a fake casual smile and asks, "What can I do for you, Commander? We haven't entered restricted space, have we? I thought Persephone was still a secure system." The Commander just coldly stares the three of them down before holding out his hand, indicating that he wants their registration. Vima hands it over to him, trying to smile seductively for the Commander, but she just gets a withering stare in response. The Commander scowls at the padd, before looking up at Dace.

"Captain Saecen?"

"Yes," Dace warily responds.

"Is this your entire crew?"

"I have one more in the cockpit. She doesn't move to well, her legs don't work. That's why she's not down here yet. She's my pilot," Dace responds.

"We're going to need to talk to her, too," the Commander orders. "Let's go."

"'scuse me, what's this all about," Vima asks as Jaylen's hand goes straight to his gun. The soldiers raise their blaster rifles, and Dace holds his hands out, trying to steady everyone.

"Jaylen, calm down. Just relax."

"But Capt'n…"

"Calm down," Dace insists sternly. "May I ask what in the hell is going on here, Commander," Dace asks, trying to sound calm but not succeeding in keeping his anger out of his voice.

"We just need to talk to you and your crew, Captain. Nothing too serious, if you have nothing to hide," the Commander responds. "And please don't mistake it for a request." The Commander turns around and walks out the airlock towards his ship as Dace stares lasers into his back.

"Yes, sir," he responds sarcastically, and moves to follow him.

"Well this is turning out to be a great gorram day," Dace thinks aloud to himself, sitting at an empty table in an interrogation chamber looking up at the ceiling. Sighing loudly, Dace looks at the door for about the thousandth time in the last twelve hours. Kicking his feet up onto the table, he tries again to get comfortable, but there is no comfort to be found in the solid metal chairs. Dozing off, he is startled awake by the sound of the door finally opening and the Republic Naval Commander marching briskly in the room. "'Bout gorram time someone showed up. Where's my crew? And isn't it a law or somethin' that you have to feed your prisoners, or at least give them something to drink?"

The Commander raises an eyebrow and cynically asks, "Would you have even trusted me enough to eat or drink anything that I gave you?"

Considering for a moment, Dace replies, "Well, no. But it's still the principle. So, am I going to be let in on the big secret as to why you're holding me here? I don't even know your name. This is no way to begin a relationship."

The Commander warily considers Dace for a moment before finally sitting down across from him. He adjusts his tunic before finally introducing himself, "Commander Relck Ulgo, Republic Naval Cruiser _Relkin Spire_. Your crew is fine, they've been looked after. Quite the eclectic bunch you've assembled, but with your background that doesn't surprise me at all. You're a very hard man to find, Captain Saecen."

"Comes in handy with a job like mine. Some of our, um, clients wish to keep a low profile," Dace honestly responds.

"So do you, it seems. Especially after what happened ten years ago," Ulgo says, revealing that he knows more than Dace wants him to know.

Dace looks down, collecting his thoughts. This isn't the way he thought this would go. "It seems that you know more about me than I am comfortable with, Commander. You have me at a disadvantage."

Ulgo smiles grimly and replies, "I'd better know a lot about you, I've only been searching for you for the last eight years."

"Why?"

Pausing for a moment, Ulgo continues, "Because of who you were, what you did, and frankly, because of what you can do for the Republic. We need you."

"Ha," Dace barks out a laugh, finding all of this to be extremely funny and ironic. "I think you've got the wrong guy, Commander. There is nothing that I can do for a dying corpse."

"As long as people think that way, then yes, there is nothing that you can do. But maybe there's something that we can do for you."

Dace grins cynically and asks, "Like what?"

Ulgo leans forward and sternly says, "Like, keep you out of jail. I think you've racked up at least 542 counts of smuggling against your record. That's pretty impressive, even for a former Jedi Knight."

Dace instantly loses his grin and says in a low voice, "I don't know what you're talking about, Commander."

Ulgo gives Dace an "Oh really?" look with his piercing icy-blue eyes, "Are you telling me that your name is not Dace Saecen, former Jedi Knight, whose mother, Laryn Saecen, was murdered fifteen years ago by an unknown assailant, who was also the only survivor of the attack at Serenity Valley on Tython, the mythical Jedi homeworld? An attack by a group of mercenaries who were well trained in killing Jedi Knights and who we don't know who hired them. And whose ship is named _Serenity_ in honor of that defeat? A ship that he routinely performs illegal activities aboard?"

Sternly, Dace replies, "You know your stuff, I'll give you that Commander. I think the legality of my actions is up to a bit of interpretation, but I'm sure I'm in the minority in that opinion. But you're still skirting around the issue here. You didn't bring me here on some smuggle charge, or you would have processed me by now. So, why am I here?"

Ulgo leans back in his chair and takes a deep breath, bracing himself for this. He knew that he had everything riding on this conversation, and it showed in his demeanor. "I've got a proposition for you, Captain."

Dace smirks and replies, "Well, I'm flattered Commander, and don't think that I'm not interested, but I just don't think you're my type."

Ulgo sighs heavily and testily says, "That's not what I had in mind, Saecen. It's not that kind of proposition."

"Oh, that's a little disappointing."

"Captain, could you please be serious for a moment. This is important, lives are at stake here," Ulgo angrily says as he leans forward, almost standing. The pressure is getting to me, he thinks to himself. Dace continues to sit there with his arms crossed and that dumb smirk on his face, knowing that he's getting to the Commander. However, a trace of doubt and confusion is still there. This isn't exactly going as he thought it would. Ulgo takes another deep breath and leans back and pushes a button on the padd in front of him. "Nihllus, could you come in here, please?" Dace looks over at the door as is opens, revealing a large reptilian Barabel with dark greenish-brown scales all over his body, blood-red eyes, and a long muscular tail wearing silver and gold armor. Looking at the Barabel, Dace gets shivers running up and down his spine. The feeling of maliciousness radiating off of Nihllus was more than enough to put a cold feeling in the pit of Dace's stomach. This is not someone to piss off, Dace thinks to himself. Nihllus strides up behind Ulgo and just stands at attention.

"Captain Saecen, this is Nihllus Kryik, a Shadow," Ulgo explains.

Looking impressed, Dace replies, "A Shadow? Well now, I thought they only existed in scary stories and fairy tales."

"Are you sure that this is the right person," Nihllus asks Ulgo with plenty of disdain in his husky, gravelly voice.

Continuing his briefing with a strained voice, Ulgo says, "Nihllus is going with you on a mission…"

"Ha! This is too good to be true," Dace cynically interrupts. "You're hiring me? The Republic must be more desperate than I thought if they're going to hire me at my rates."

"Hmph," Nihllus cynically comments. "This is the great Saecen that I've been hearing about? I'm not impressed."

Dace looks at the intimidating Barabel with a challenging look on his face. "You got somethin' to say to me, sunshine?"

Nihllus takes a threatening step towards Dace, but Ulgo stands up and orders in a stern voice, "Stand down, Kryik! You're here on my request, but I will send you back if I need to. Now, I need the both of you. The Republic needs the both of you, right now. I suggest you two leave your differences behind." Ulgo slowly sits back down as Nihllus backs down a bit, taking a step backwards.

"I don't have any differences with our Shadow friend here," Dace innocently says. There is plenty of truth in his words, and he is struggling to figure out how this Barabel monstrosity knows him.

"Of course you don't," Nihllus says with disgust in his voice. "How could you care about people that get in the way of your profit margin?"

Dace looks at Ulgo and begins to say, "I really don't know what this lizard-brain is talking about, but…"

"Five years ago," Nihllus interrupts, leaning forward and with malice in his voice. "You were smuggling a shipment of medical supplies out of Whellin. Me and my partner, my hatch-mate, were pursuing you and had you cornered in an alley-way. You had led us into a trap and murdered my hatch-mate to get away, like a coward. And for that, I will kill you one day."

Dace leans back in his chair, and looks at Ulgo with concern on his face and in his voice, "You want me to go on a mission with this lunatic? Are you out of your ever-lovin' mind too?"

Ulgo disgustedly shakes his head and looks the both of them deeply in the eyes before telling them, "I really don't care about what has happened in the past between you two. I need the both of you, now, together, if this mission is to succeed. If I really have to find someone else to do it, then I will, but I really don't want to have to do that. I have spent too damn much time and energy finding you, Mr. Saecen, to find another way. And I will be very upset if I have to find that other way. And you can't afford to make me find another way. Do I make myself clear," Ulgo asks, his voice full of veiled threats.

Dace thinly smiles and sarcastically asks, "And what is this mission you have for me, Commander?"


	3. Chapter 3

"How long's it been, Jay-Jay," Vima asks, concern and worry contorting her face.

"Anytime much longer, and he's gonna wear out the deck plating in here," Micah sarcastically replies.

Jaylen stops pacing for a moment to glare at her with the eyes of a caged animal ready to spring out and attack. "Well, what'd ya expect. Them's keepin' us caged up like this, takin' us out one at a time and interrogatin' us and such. But it's just all 'bout the Capt'n, nothin' specific. Then's they take Dace, and nothin' more for hours." Jaylen stops his rant and begins to pace again as Vima and Micah give each other an "Oh great, here we go again" look. Before anyone can say anymore, the door bursts open, startling Micah and Vima. Surprised, Jaylen stops and gets into an attack stance as Nihllus and a Republic lieutenant walk in, followed by Ulgo and a very pissed-off looking Dace.

"What's the word, Cap'n," Micah anxiously asks as concern flashes across Vima's face.

"The word, ladies and gents, is that we got's a job," Dace tiredly says, clearly not happy with current events. Next time we get paid, I'm retiring, he thinks to himself. "Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you're gonna look at the current situation, this brave new venture involves workin' with our illustrious new friends from the Republic." A chorus of groans greets him as he smirks a bit, giving a knowing look to Ulgo.

"Now, c'mon Dace. You know we can't trust these people," Jaylen loudly protests. "Just like I can trust you," Dace shoots back at him, and Jaylen backs down a bit.

"Now these fine officers would like us to do a bit of prospecting, as it were," Dace says, trying to sound like he knows what he is talking about, but failing miserably.

"Prospecting, Capt'n," Vima asks, not trying to hide her confusion.

"Yeah, prospecting. Apparently, something's been found on some planet that I'm not privy to yet. And that something has something to do with the mass-produced Sith warships that tore through the Republic fleet almost three hundred years ago. Or so our Republic friends think so. And since we have a considerable reputation for, um, acquiring certain rare and valuable artifacts, Commander Ulgo here would like us to do something for them," Dace explains, knowing that he's not getting through to his crewmates.

Of course, Micah is the first one to speak up, "Not to blow our well-conceived cover, but ain't we considered to be criminals? Why would they want us to help them? Or do they just want to keep us close so that when we do finish their "job" they can easily grab us an' throw us in the slammer?"

Before anyone else can echo her sentiments, Dace steps up and says, "Now, don't think that I haven't thought of that, despite what our good friends here are sayin'." He looks poignantly at Ulgo, who is showing concern about how this is turning out. That guy needs to lighten up and take the load of the galaxy off his shoulders before he goes to an early grave, Dace thinks to himself while Micah just gives him and 'yeah, right' face. "But it's not like we have a choice about whether or not we want to take this job. And at this point, I'd rather take this job now rather than just being thrown in the slammer right now, Mic," Dace says, hoping this might placate her for the moment. She is the one who he relies on the most, and if she's good for a job, then that would take a load off his shoulders right now. However, she just rolls her eyes at him. Great, he thinks to himself.

"So what exactly is this job, Capt'n," Vima asks, clearly not supporting this venture either.

Dace crosses his arms, leans against the wall, and looks expectantly over at Ulgo. "Commander? Care to enlighten my crew?" Ulgo shoots him a 'Watch it or I will throw you all into prison look' before he steps forward to begin his briefing.

"It's very simple, ladies and gentlemen. On the planet of Dantooine, a certain artifact has been found. Now, we aren't sure what this artifact is or what exactly it does, but we do know that it is at least 25000 years old, older than the age of the Republic." I'm not going to get through to these people, Ulgo thinks to himself, seeing the disbelieving looks on their faces. "We need to get this artifact back to Coruscant, and we need to get it there as soon as possible. Now you guys, along with Nihllus here, are going to…"

"Ahem, excuse me, Mr. Commander sir," Vima interjects. "I'm just not understandin' why you need us to do this job. Why don't ya just take one of your fancy cruisers to transport the cargo?"

"Because, Miss Boton, we want to keep this as low profile of a mission as we can. If we go through standard Republic channels, there is a large possibility that our enemies will discover what we are doing," Ulgo replies, the strain showing on his face and in his voice.

"Who," Micah asks.

"Who," Ulgo repeats.

"Yes, who? Who are your enemies that could discover what you are doing and ruin you well-laid out plans?"

"We don't know," Ulgo replies.

"You don't know," Jaylen responds, anger showing is his voice and face. "That's just frelling wonderful. How stupid do you think we are?"

"You really want us to answer that," Nihllus sarcastically replies.

"You got a problem, lizard? I'll give you a problem, one you won't recover from, little man," Jaylen threatens, quickly standing up from his chair.

Nihllus takes a step forward, replying, "Try it, half-breed."

"ENOUGH," Ulgo yells. "Gorrammit, you will work together on this mission, or you will all be thrown in the brig, right now. I need you and your crew, Captain Saecen, because of the fact that you work outside of the law. No one will suspect that you are working for the Republic. And if you really must know, I'm trying to prevent the people that murdered the Jedi ten years ago from getting their hands on this artifact, seeing on how it's right next to the old Jedi Enclave that Malak destroyed 300 years ago. Now, I need your help, I'm paying you guys out the ass for it, and if I don't get it, I will arrest you until the artifact is back on Coruscant and has been studied, however long that may be. Do I make myself clear?"

Ulgo looks around at the crew of misfits, and Dace finally steps forward, answering for his crew, "Aye, Commander. We'll do it. If anyone objects, I'll throw them in the brig myself." Looking at his crew, he asks, "Shiny?" He gets nodding heads as his answer, and looks over to Ulgo, "So, when do we leave, boss?"

"As soon as possible. Now, in addition to Nihllus, I will have my Executive Officer, Lieutenant Krellin Onasi, join you to coordinate between us. Also, Corporal Jenkins will be along as well for additional support. Any more question?"

Looking up with shock and concern on his face, Dace asks, "Krellin Onasi? You sure about that?"

"Yes I am. Is that a problem, son?"

Attempting to keep his cool, Dace replies, "No, sir. Let's get going."


End file.
